


Escaped

by randomfandom0817



Category: Marvel Cinematic Universe
Genre: Comfort, F/M, Guns, Hydra (Marvel), Knives, Memory Loss, Murder, Nick Fury is Not Amused, Nightmares, Other Additional Tags to Be Added, PTSD, Sam Wilson Is a Good Bro, Thievery, Threats, UNO, bucky is a sweet boy, lets get all the bad tags out of the way, memory recovery, pepper is a sweet bean, potential endgame spoilers
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-05-11
Updated: 2019-05-18
Packaged: 2020-03-01 00:16:59
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 7
Words: 7,866
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18789178
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/randomfandom0817/pseuds/randomfandom0817
Summary: When Zola came through the old HYDRA compound, he killed all the remaining Winter Soldiers. Except one. You.





	1. Chapter 1

You had been in hiding since that psycho came to the compound and killed all the other soldiers. You jumped from town to town, never staying in one place for more than six months.Then the whole 50-percent-of-the-population thing happened. It was a bit easier then. You were able to walk into town without continuously looking over your shoulder. You still looked over your shoulder, but the threat was reduced. 

But then the population all came back. Including someone who looked very familiar. You saw him in the coffee shop. You were trying to slowly integrate yourself back into normal society, and thought a small coffee shop in a small town outside New York might be the first step. But then you saw  _ him _ .

Your hand rested on the knife holster at your hip, your eyes focused on him. You wrapped your skilled hand around the hilt as you stood behind him in line, glaring at the back of his head. His hair was cut shorter, all the split ends were gone. It was washed for the first time in who knows how long and he looked different. But you still recognized him.

“Can I help you?” he asked without turning around to face you.

“You’re here for me, aren’t you?”

He turned around with a groan, rolling his eyes. “What?”

You pulled the knife from your hip. “Well, guess what, Asset? You’re not taking me in.” You held the tip to his throat. “I will take you out with me if I have to.”

He looked at you before recognition donned on his face. “Oh.” He glanced around the room. “Sam!”

“What’s up, man?” another guy asked, taking a bite of a bagel. 

He nodded to your hand, the metal glinting in the low light of the coffee house. “Zemo missed one.” He gently pushed the knife away from his throat. “You might wanna put that away,  _ soldat _ . People get suspicious.”

You glared and tucked the knife back into the holster. “So, you’re not taking me back?”

“No,” he assured you. “HYDRA’s dead as a door-nail. And I would die before going back, too.” The soldier looked at his companion. “What do you think? Can you take another brainwashed ex-assassin in your life?”

“She can’t be much worse than you, Barnes.”

He laughed at his friend’s retort. “Nice one, Wilson.” He turned to you. “What do you say you hide out with us for a while? We can talk about our shared horrifying experiences and missing huge chunks of our consciousnesses over coffee.”

“Oh, what the hell? Why not?”

“Awesome. And, if you want, I know someone who can get the star off your arm.”

You’d been convinced to hide out in the soldier’s apartment. 

“Bucky. Call me Bucky,” he’d insisted. He set you up in his spare room. The apartment was nice. It was tastefully decorated, the fridge and pantry was stocked fully, and there were plenty of light sources around the apartment. The spare room had a nice, comfortable bed, a far cry from the sleeping bag you kept with you on the run. There was a nightstand with a lamp sitting on top and a desk in the corner of the room by a window. There were dark shades over the window, keeping the room hidden from the outside world. 

“Thank you, Bucky,” you said for what felt like the hundredth time that day.

* * *

 

Bucky and Sam helped you make steps towards a normal life. Sam helped both you and Bucky when it came to the things about the world you’d missed in HYDRA’s captivity. Most of it was pop culture, and, more specifically, music.

“No, you gotta listen to Pink Floyd,” Sam told you over breakfast one morning. “They’re pretty much the symbol of punk rock.”

“Pink Floyd. Got it.” You scribbled it down in the notebook of things Sam said you needed to know, next to  _ Sitcoms, Friends _ . Sam said you weren’t allowed to start that one without him.

“Sam, stop trying to corrupt (Y/N),” Bucky said, setting his glass of orange juice on the table. 

“I’m not corrupting her, I’m educating her. There’s a difference.”

This started their daily bickering. You’d noticed that they did a lot of that, but none of it was really serious. They brought up things that you assumed happened before they met you. The one they brought up the most had something to do with a steering wheel in D.C.

You smiled and shook your head. You were really growing to love them.

 

* * *

 

“So, you don’t have any memories of your past? At all?” Bucky asked you as you played a game of cards at his apartment.

“Well, I have my name, (Y/N). I have some hazy flashbacks,” you said, tossing a card on a table. “Lots of lights, lots of people. But that’s all I remember. Your move.”

“How’d you get out of Zemo’s rampage?” Bucky asked, tossing a card on the table. “I thought you were all frozen.”

“Not all of us. After HYDRA was exterminated, we were all stuck in those fucking tubes. But, uh, it was an accident, really. You know, the place was crawling with rats. No more agents around for upkeep. One of them, the rats, i mean, stepped on the release button on my chamber. I heard the psycho come in before I saw him. I ducked into one of the million hideaways and I heard the shots. Then I heard the fight between those two guys. The one with the shield and the one in the metal suit.”

Bucky nodded and took a sip of the drink in front of him. “And that’s when you got out of there?”

“Yeah.”

“So, how did you manage after you left?”

You gave a harsh laugh. “Not well, at first. I moved from place to place. I didn’t get out of Russia for six months. It was rough. But, you know, supersoldier strength meant I could hunt quicker and easier. I dropped a lot of weight because I wasn’t eating. I got to Moscow and bought a train ticket to France. I kept my head down and kept working west. Eventually, I’d managed to scrounge up enough money to buy a plane ticket to America and came to New York. I jumped from alleyway to alleyway. I begged for money for food. My English was broken, people distrusted me. Of course, I hid the arm as well as I could. And honestly? Half the population disappearing was the best thing for me.”

“What do you mean?”

“Well, there were significantly less people. Houses and apartments were empty. There was plenty of food, at least for a while.” You tossed another card onto the pile. “After a while, I started taking the cash people had left in their homes. I know it was wrong, but it was all I could do to keep food in my stomach.”

Bucky nodded. “I get that. Uno.”

You sighed. “How are you this good?” you muttered, sorting through your cards. “Yeah. Well, then everyone came back. I was screwed. I kept the money I had stolen close to me. I felt bad, though. But then I ran into you and Sam at the coffee shop and here we are. Draw four.”


	2. Chapter 2

You were in Bucky’s guest bedroom, which had quickly become your bedroom. You had discovered Spotify and rediscovered your love for theater. You were in your room, belting along to one of the albums you had found you loved. It reminded you of something, but you couldn’t figure out quite what.

Bucky was stood in the doorway, a goofy smile on his face, his arms crossed over his chest. 

“What?” you asked, pausing the music. 

“Maybe you were a singer before HYDRA,” Bucky suggested, stepping into the room.

“Yeah, sure, Buck.”

“I’m serious,” he said. “We don’t know exactly what time you were born, so it’s a possibility. You have an amazing voice, it could be true.”

You smiled. “You really think?”

“Yeah. I really think.”

“I think you’re crazy,” you said, smiling.

Bucky picked up your phone and looked at the album playing. “Fiddler on the Roof? Is that the one Sam introduced you to?”

“Yeah. I really like it,” you said. “I don’t know why, though. Something about it just… I don’t know.”

Bucky set his hand on your shoulder. “I get it. I do think your voice is beautiful, though.”

“Thanks, Buck.” You picked at your nail. “Hey, do you remember the first job HYDRA sent us on together?”

“No,” Bucky said, sitting next to you on your bed. “I’ve worked hard to block that kind of stuff out.”

“Well, that’s okay. Because I remember. They sent us to Belgium so you could keep an eye on me, train me. It was cold. We didn’t have a room to stay in, we camped out in the woods. I was shivering in the snow. You pulled off your coat and wrapped it around me.” You smiled at the memory, rubbing your wrist with your metal hand. “You smiled at me for the first time. I tried to give you back the jacket, you told me to keep it. Said you liked the cold anyway. It was the only time you showed any personality around me.”

“Are you saying I don’t have a personality?” Bucky said with mock offense.

You laughed. “Well, not then. Self-expression was a luxury HYDRA denied us. But I have to say, your personality now is glowing.”

Bucky laughed and nudged your shoulder. “Thanks. But you didn’t talk about the mission itself at all.”

“Because that wasn’t what was important. That wasn’t what stuck with me through everything HYDRA did. Through all the countless mind-wipes, the torture, everything. That memory clung on like a piece of Saran Wrap.” You shook your head. “Even when HYDRA forced us all to be terrible to each other, I still remember that one little thing from Belgium.”

 

* * *

 

_ You were driving a motorcycle down a long, winding road. There was no one but the car in front of you. Your mouth was covered by your mask, but the rest of your face was still clear. HYDRA’s only mistake that night. _

_ You sped up until the car came into view. The girl was hanging out the window, laughing in the cool summer night while the boy drove. Buddy Holly blared on the radio and the girl whooped as they rounded a bend, her curled hair blowing in the breeze. _

_ You sped past the blue car and cut in front of it. The car screeched to a halt.  _

_ “What the hell, man?” the boy asked, poking his head out the window. _

_ You pulled your helmet off and pulled your gun from the holster on your hip.  _

_ “(Y/N)?” the girl asked, her eyes wide.  _

_ You froze for a moment.  _

_ “Where have you been?” the boy asked. “We’ve been-” _

_ You raised the gun and fired twice. _

You bolted up in bed, panicking. You fumbled with the switch on your lamp, your hands shaking. You finally flicked it on after knocking a water bottle off the stand. You pulled your knees up to your chest and tried to control your breathing as you fought back tears.

“(Y/N)? What happened?” Bucky ran into your room and knelt in front of you. “Hey, you’re okay. You’re home, you’re safe. It wasn’t real. It was just a dream.” He slowly lifted his hands up and wiped the tears from your face. “You’re alright.”

“You wanna talk about it?” Bucky asked when you calmed down. He was still rubbing your back soothingly. You had your head rested on his shoulder.

“They knew me,” you whispered. “They recognized me. Who I was before. They seemed happy to see me. And then I-” You shook your head.

“It’s okay,” Bucky said, rubbing your arm. “You don’t need to give any details you don’t want. I get it.”

 

* * *

 

You decided to go down to the apartment complex’s gym to work out some of the frustration you had from choppy flashbacks. You were taking it out on a punching bag, careful not to go too far and break the bag. You didn’t need the other people in the gym asking questions.

“Hey, you’re Barnes’s girl,” one of the girls at the gym said, walking up to you with her friend after you stepped away from the bag. “You moved in with him a few months ago, right? I can see why he fell for you, you’re pretty.”

“Oh, my gosh, could you imagine how cute their kids would be?” her friend says.

“I-I’m sorry, who are you? What are you talking about?”

“Oh, they would be the most gorgeous beings in existence!” the original girl said, ignoring your questions.

“Uh, excuse me? Again, what are you talking about?”

“You’re dating Bucky Barnes, aren’t you?”

“What? No, no, we-we’re just friends. I needed a place to stay until I could get back on my feet, and Bucky offered me his spare room. End of story.”

“So, he’s still single?” the friend of the first girl asked. 

“Uh, I think so. He hasn’t told me otherwise.” You looked around. “Well, I’m gonna go. It was… nice… talking to you.”

 

* * *

 

“So, when are you going to tell (Y/N) you’re totally in love with her?” Sam asked Bucky.

“What? I’m not- no, I’m not in love with (Y/N)! What-what makes you think- why would you-”

“Man, chill,” Sam laughed. “It’s obvious. You make goo-goo eyes at her all the time. Surprised you haven’t started drooling when you stare at her.”

“Hey!”

“I’m kidding, Buck. But seriously. It’s obvious you’re crushing on her hard.”

Bucky sighed. “Just… don’t say anything about it to her?”

“Don’t worry, man. Your embarrassingly crippling crush on (Y/N) is safe with me.”

“It’s not crippling!”

“Whatever you need to tell yourself, James. Whatever you need to tell yourself.”

 

* * *

 

Bucky unlocked the apartment and was bombarded by you wrapping him in a hug. 

“Hey, you. What’s this for?”

You were smiling like crazy, your eyes bright with tears. “I know who I was! Well, most of it. I know my last name, I know where I lived, I know where and what I was when HYDRA took me, I know when that was. I know when my birthday is. I remember!”

Bucky smiled at you. “That’s wonderful. I have news, too. Remember when I said I could try to get you an upgraded arm instead of HYDRA’s technology? Well, I got the confirmation today. We can finally get you a better arm, get rid of all HYDRA’s crap in that pretty brain of yours.”

“Oh, gosh, this is really the best day ever,” you said, practically skipping your way to the kitchen. “Want something to drink?”

“No, I’m good,” Bucky said, taking a seat at the table. “I’d love to know about your recovered memories, though. How’d you figure it out?”

You hopped up on the table, a can of soda in your hand. “Well, I’d just had a  _ really  _ interesting conversation with some of our neighbors at the gym and was on my way back to the apartment. And I just had this-this flood of memories, you know? It was like there was some dam set up in my mind and it just burst! I’m (Y/N) (L/N), I grew up in Manhattan, I was born in 1919, and I was a showgirl on Captain America’s war bonds tours.”

“Really?” Bucky said, leaning forward in his chair. “You were on the tour with Steve?” He laughed. “Man, that suit was ridiculous. And the helmets? So tacky.”

You laughed, setting your can down. “Yeah. One of the girls lost hers, and we found out later that Steve had used it when he went to break the 107th out from HYDRA’s facility.”

“Wait, he used a prop helmet? That fucker better be glad he’s an old man now or he’d be getting a punch in the face.”

“Wait, he’s still alive?” you asked.

“Yeah. He lives in a lake house in upstate New York. We thought it was the best way to keep him out of trouble.”

“Ah.”

“So, do you have any more memories?”

“Yeah. I know when HYDRA took me. It was 1946. Everyone was getting back from the war.” Your face dropped. “Almost everyone. But I went out to get some eggs for my ma and they took me. Right off the street, too. But that’s about all I remember from that.”


	3. Chapter 3

Bucky pretended not to notice after a while. He pretended not to hear you cry in the shower and pretended not to see your red eyes when you came out of the bathroom with a towel wrapped around your head. He’d asked once, but you’d just brushed him off and lied, saying you got soap in your eye. He pretended not to notice the crack in the tile of the shower wall after you punched it. He pretended not to see how you would occasionally reach your hand up to your neck like you were trying to grip a necklace, only to to have your hand fall away as you looked heartbroken.

But he couldn’t pretend not to notice when you woke up sobbing at night. He’d always be by your side, holding you close. Most of the time, you didn’t want to talk about it. But one night, you did. 

“I had a brother who died in the war,” you whispered one night after you woke up, worse than most nights. “His name was Timothy. He was my best friend.” You reached your hand up and rested it on your chest. “I’ve been getting more memories from my life before. Tonight, I got the memory of my mother reading me the letter. She gave me his dog tag. When-when HYDRA took me, they ripped it off me. I read the old police report the other day. The only reason they knew I was missing was from the dog tag. But now-now I don’t even have that.”

Bucky gently rubbed your back. “Well, didn’t you say you had two brothers? Maybe the other one has some kids you can connect with. Maybe someone still has the tag. Like a family heirloom or something.”

“Not likely,” you said. “From what I can remember, Jonathan and I didn’t get along. He didn’t like my life path, he was a watchmaker’s apprentice. When he got drafted, it was like a convenient out. We stopped talking completely. When he got home, we still didn’t talk. And then I disappeared.” You slumped against Bucky and sighed. 

“You know, I had a sister. Her name was Rebecca. Called her Becky. She was the light of my life. When I recovered, I found out she died in ‘86. No kids. But she was well-loved. She worked as a psychologist for POWs. I still miss her like hell, though.”

“How do you deal with it, Buck?” you asked him, turning your head to look up at his face. 

Bucky smiled and brushed a piece of hair out of your face. “I  _ talk  _ to people about it. I don’t bottle it all up. It’s not healthy.”

You sighed. “Yeah, I guess you’re right.”

The two of you stayed like that until you fell back to sleep. Bucky tried to extract himself from your limbs, but you grabbed onto his shirt in your sleep. He realized he couldn’t get up without waking you, so he stayed there the rest of the night, just playing with your hair.

 

* * *

 

“So, how do I look?” you asked Sam and Bucky, setting your makeup brush back into the cup holding all the others.

“The lipstick’s a bit too much for this century,” Sam said. 

You groaned and grabbed a tissue. “Really?” you started dabbing your lips to lighten up the red.

“Why are you so stressed about this?” Bucky asked you. “You’re just going in for a consultation for a new arm.”

“Look, it’s the first time I’m actually leaving the apartment complex for more than groceries since getting my memory back. I want to look nice.”

“Well, you look lovely,” Bucky said. Sam snorted, but was elbowed promptly in the stomach with a vibranium arm.

“Hey, don’t be so nervous,” Sam said when you walked into Stark Industries’ main building. “Pepper’s gonna love you.”

“Yeah, but what if she doesn’t?”

“But she will.” Sam gestured to the door in front of you. “I’m gonna leave you here. I’ll be back in about an hour, alright? Then Bucky’s taking us out for pizza.”

“Oh, okay,” you said, gripping the hem of your skirt.

“Hey, (Y/N), breathe. In through the nose, out through the mouth. Good. Now go get that ugly star off your arm.”

You smiled and lightly knocked on the door. 

“Come in!” a woman’s voice came from the other side. You slowly pushed open the door and were greeted by a red-haired woman. “Hello, (Y/N), it’s lovely to see you,” she said. “I’m Pepper. Come on in, come on in.”

You nervously stepped into the room. There were at least five people in lab coats and more lab equipment than you’d ever seen.

“We’ve been working with the best scientists in the world, and we’ve come to the decision that we’re essentially going to give you the same arm as Mr. Barnes. We’re going to modify it with a few updates so it’s as much like a real arm as possible.”

“Oh, um, okay. Thank you.”

Pepper smiled. “There’s really no need to be so nervous. These machines are the safest in the world. The most it’ll do is squeeze your arm a tiny bit or tickle a little.”

You took a deep breath. “Okay.”

Pepper had you lie down on one of the machines while a doctor hooked a cuff up to your arm. Apparently it was supposed to make sure none of your vitals were in danger. You were still extremely anxious as the machines powered up and started whirring around you. But as soon as it started, it was over. 

“Alright, you’re all done,” Pepper said, offering her hand to you. She helped you hop off the machine. “We’ll get to work on your arm as soon as possible. Shouldn’t take longer than two weeks,” Pepper promised. 

“Oh. Thank you,” you said, rubbing the steel arm. “I’m gonna go find Sam.” 

You wandered the halls of Stark Industries, looking for your friend. You’d asked a few people where you could find him, but they all gave you different answers. 

“Hey, you,” Bucky said, suddenly appearing by your side. “Uh, hey,” you said. “What are you doing here? I thought you had a meeting all day.”

“I did, but we ended early. It’s surprising how fast things can go when you don’t stop every five seconds to argue. And Sam called to tell me he was tied up with Rhodey all day so he couldn’t take you home. Figured I would.”

You smiled. “Thanks, Buck.”

“Come on,” Bucky said, offering his arm to you. “We can stop for malts on the way home.”

“Malts? Do they still have those now?”

“Well, not exactly,” Bucky said as you made it to the doors. “Call them milkshakes now.”

“Hey, there, pretty thing,” some guy called to you as you walked down the street with Bucky. “What’s that lovely mouth of yours do? Care to give me a smile, huh?”

You put your head down and tried to walk faster. Bucky gripped your hand. “Fuck off, asshole,” he called back. 

“He doesn’t look too happy, Buck,” you muttered, keeping your head down. 

“Doesn’t matter. He’s harassing you. Your personal feelings go out the window when you harass someone.” Bucky pulled you closer to his side, resting his hand around your waist. He glared at any guy who looked at you in anything other than acknowledgement. You waved it off as him trying to keep you from getting catcalled again.


	4. Chapter 4

You unlocked the apartment door, balancing your grocery bag at your hip. Bucky and Sam were off on some mission on the west coast, so you had the apartment to yourself for a little while. But when you walked through the door, you know something was up. You pulled your gun out from the inside of your jacket and stood close to the walls. 

You turned the corner to see a man with an eyepatch reclining in the chair in the living room. You slung the grocery bag over your shoulder and pointed the gun at him, flicking the safety off. 

“Who are you and what the hell are you doing in my apartment?” you asked him, aiming the gun at his chest.

“Can you really call it your apartment if you don’t pay rent, Ms. (L/N)?”

Your grip tightened on the gun. “How do you know my name?”

He pushed up from the chair. “My name is Nick Fury, Director of SHIELD.” He looked you head to toe. “Barnes was right. You are a jumpy one. Put the gun away before you accidentally fire.”

“No. I reserve the right to keep this on me in case you being here puts me in danger.” You flicked the safety on. “I will, however, do that. What do you want? You know Bucky isn’t here.”

“I’m not here for Barnes. I’m here to offer you a job.”

“What?”

“I’m here to offer you a job with our SHIELD intel operations. You would be in charge of gathering information on current and former HYDRA agents and soldiers. We would set you up in a nice apartment in D.C. near our main headquarters. We give decent pay and benefits, including both maternity and paternity leave.”

“Why would I need to know about paternity leave?” you asked Fury. “What are you insinuating?”

“Nothing. Simply saying that if you were to have a child with a fellow SHIELD employee, you would both get sufficient time off.”

“And if I decide not to take the job?”

Fury looked at you, face devoid of all emotion. “I just struggled to convince Peter Parker, don’t make me struggle to get you, too.”

“What if I don’t want to leave New York?”

“Then you can work out of our HQ here, like Wilson and Barnes. We can set you up in an apartment here as well.”

“Do I have time to think about your offer?”

“Of course. But don’t wait too long, I need to know as soon as you decide.” He handed you a slip of paper. “Here’s the number of my number two, Maria Hill. Call her when you make your decision.”

 

* * *

 

“Hey,” Bucky said, tossing his tactical bag on the counter when he came back from his mission. “Did you survive without me?”

You were stretched out on the couch in a pair of sweatpants and one of Bucky’s hoodies. You were staring at the television as you watched a Law and Order: Special Victims Unit  marathon. “Yeah. Almost adopted a cat, though.”

Bucky laughed, filling a glass with ice water. “Well, that would have been an interesting surprise.”

“Yeah, uh, speaking of surprises,” you said, sitting up and scratching the back of your neck, “I, uh, I got a job.”

“That’s great!”

“In D.C.”

“What?”

“Yeah. Uh. Nick Fury stopped by. He offered me a job at SHIELD. I accepted it. So they’re setting me up an apartment in D.C. I’m going as soon as Pepper finishes my arm. But, I mean, this just gets me out of your hair, right? You get your apartment back, you can stop worrying about me taking all your money,” you said with a laugh. “And that was the deal, right? I could stay with you until I got back on my feet. And now I’m back on my feet.”

Bucky took a slow sip of his water. “Right. Yeah, that was the deal.” He smiled at you. “You need help from Sam and I moving your stuff?”

“Well, it all fits in, what, three boxes? But, I mean, if you want to help I won’t stop you.”

“Great. Well, sign us up.”

You smiled at Bucky before flouncing back to your room to read the book you’d gotten from the library. Bucky sighed, the smile dropping from his face.

 

* * *

 

“What is up with you, man?” Sam asked Bucky when they went out for drinks the next night. “You’ve been all mopey since we got back yesterday.” He slid Bucky another beer. “Spill.”

He sighed, downing the glass. “Fury talked to (Y/N). Offered her a job at the main HQ while we were gone. She took it.” Bucky called to the bartender for another round.

“Oh,” Sam said, taking a sip of his drink. “And you don’t want her to leave. Because you’re in love with her.”

It wasn’t a question. Instead of protesting, Bucky took a long sip of his drink. 

“You know, it’s not like she’s leaving your life,” Sam said. “She’s working for SHIELD, we’ll probably be working with her a lot.”

“Won’t be the same,” Bucky muttered, twisting the glass in his hands. “I love living with her. I love knowing there’s someone there when I get home. I love movie nights with her. I… love her.”

“Well, then, tell her that, man. Tell her how you feel. Maybe she can work out of the New York HQ? Fury can be accommodating. Occasionally.”

Bucky sighed. “I don’t know. I don’t think she feels the same way. She seemed kind of excited to be working in D.C. You should’ve seen how happy she was talking about the job. I can’t take that away from her.”

“You’re an idiot, Barnes. If you don’t talk to her, you’re going to lose her,” Sam warned.


	5. Chapter 5

“You have everything?” Bucky asked you when you shouldered your bag. “Not forgetting anything?”

“You mean do I have all four boxes worth of my belongings, yeah,” you laughed, running a hand through your hair. “I have a lot of paying you back to do,” you told him. You rubbed your new arm under one of the hoodies Bucky let you keep. Pepper had given it the option to be disguised as a regular arm, which is what you did more often than not. Made conversations a lot less complicated.

“Hey, let’s get a move on,” Sam said. “I feel like Fury’s about to start sending some angry texts for us to get our asses to the quinjet at HQ.”

You smiled. “Alright. Let’s get going, then. All my stuff fit in your car?”

“(Y/N), you have four  _ small  _ boxes. They fit. Now, let’s go. I really don’t want to hear Fury yelling at us.”

The three of you piled into Sam’s car, Bucky sitting in the back by his own choice. It seemed to be some deal Sam and Bucky worked out a while back.

“I can’t believe your apartment is pre-furnished,” Sam said as he drove you to SHIELD’s headquarters. “I had to buy all my furniture myself.”

“I know, it’s almost like Fury knows I have literally no money. On the bright side, he managed to change my status from “missing” and “assumed dead” to “living” so I guess that’s something.”

Sam laughed. “That is something. You sure you’ll be alright down there?”

“I mean, it’ll be new, but I’ll adjust.”

“Well, if you need anything, I still keep up with some people down there.”

You smiled. “Thanks, Sam. You’re too great.”

 

* * *

 

You quickly rose through SHIELD’s ranks, overseeing most of the departments. The increased station came with increased pay, so you didn’t complain much. Though, you were always busy with something or other, constantly moving around headquarters. You barely had time to grab a drink of water most days. 

“I have a meeting with Fury at one, and a video conference with Hill at three,” you told your assistant as you walked through SHIELD’s hallways. “Set a reminder on my calendar. Thank you, Drew,” you said, taking your coffee from the intern who immediately scurried off to finish coffee deliveries. “We have new recruits who need to go directly into tactical training. Make sure Agent Carter is present for the training, she knows the curriculum best. Whe-”

“Ms. (L/N), there are two men waiting for you in your office,” the secretary said when you walked through the doors on your floor.

You groaned and pinched your temples. “I don’t really have time for unscheduled meetings. But thank you, Chelsea,” you said. “Any other messages?”

“Jonathan said he’ll be stopping by to take you out to lunch. He said today was Mediterranean.”

“Thank you, Chelsea.” You dismissed your assistant to his desk for the time being and stepped into your office. You froze. “Sam? Bucky? Oh, my god, what are you two doing here?” you asked, hugging them both simultaneously. 

“Well, we were on an operation in Virginia and decided to drop in,” Sam said, reaching across your desk and grabbing a mint from the bowl you kept on it. “Wow, you’ve really made a place for yourself here. So, how high up are you?”

“Just below Hill,” you said with a smile.

“Whoa!”

You took your seat at your desk and shuffled a few papers around before searching your cluttered desk for a pen. “So, what was the mission?”

“Old HYDRA base,” Bucky said. “Some agents were setting up camp there and trying to-”

“Knock knock,” a dark-haired man said, poking his head in your office with a wide smile. “You almost ready to go for lunch, (Y/N/N)?”

“Uh, almost,” you said. “And like it or not, I’m paying this time.”

“That’s not what we agreed on.”

“Well, tough. You’ve been buying my lunches for weeks. And Mediterranean is expensive.” You saw the confused look on Sam and Bucky’s faces. “Oh, how rude of me. Sam, Bucky, this is Jonathan. Jonathan, this is-”

“Captain America,” he said with a smile. “It’s an honor to meet you.” He shook Sam’s hand then turned to Bucky. “And you’re the Winter Soldier.or should I call you White Wolf? It’s great to meet you, too.”

You smiled. “Well, just let me finish up here and then I’ll be ready to go, okay?”

“‘Kay.” Jonathan kissed your cheek and stepped out of your office, talking, well,  _ flirting _ , with your receptionist while he waited. 

“So, who’s that? Your boyfriend?” Bucky asked, trying not to sound jealous.

You laughed. “Oh, god, no. No, Jonny’s my great-nephew. My brother, the one I didn’t get along with, had two kids after I disappeared. The younger one was a girl. He named him after me, the old sap. Her son is Jonathan, named after my brother.” You sighed, scribbling your signature on a paper. “Fury keeps me busy. Barely have time to feed my cat, let alone date. I’m starting to think it’s intentional,” you laughed. “So, what can I do for you boys?”

“Come out for drinks with us tonight,” Sam said. “While we’re in town. We miss you, (Y/N/N).”

You smiled and scanned your eyes over calendar. “Well, I’m free tonight. Good thing, too. I have a gala tomorrow night that I can _ not _ miss.” 

“Awesome,” Sam said. “6 o’clock, we’re picking you up from here.”

“Got it. Don’t be late,” you laughed. “Now, I have a lunch date with my nephew, so I have to get going.” You slid away from your desk and gathered your stuff before heading to the lobby. The guys stayed in your office for another minute. Bucky watched you walk out, joking with Jonathan.

“What’s wrong?” Sam asked with a sigh.

“I miss her, man. I miss her so much.”

Sam groaned, rubbing his face. “Talk to her, Bucky. When she gets back from lunch and we’re done meeting with Fury. Talk to her. You’re gonna drive me crazy.”

 

* * *

 

“Barnes, you’re an idiot,” Fury said. “I have interfered in (L/N)’s personal life for months. Hiring her nephew, keeping her schedule packed, getting her a cat… I can only keep this going for so long. She’s going to end up dating sooner or later if you don’t get your shit together and fucking  _ ask her out _ .”

Bucky sighed. “I guess you’re right.” He rubbed his flesh hand over his metal arm.

“Of course I’m right. Although, if I’m being honest, it was Carol’s idea.”

“What? Danvers set this up?” Sam laughed. “Oh, that’s rich. No wonder it was so well-planned.”

“So, are you going to man up and talk to that poor girl?”

“Yeah. yeah, I will. Tonight. I’ll tell her tonight.”


	6. Chapter 6

“Hey, right on time,” you said with a smile. “Ready to go?”

“Let’s go, man. Party time!” Sam said, looping his arm around yours. You laughed and leaned against Sam. 

“I missed you guys so much.”

“You ever think about coming back to New York?” Sam asked. Bucky was trailing a bit behind the two of you. 

“All the time. If only Fury would give me a day off to visit,” you laughed.

“Well, maybe he will soon.” Sam threw a pointed look at Bucky, silently saying something you didn’t understand. 

You climbed into Sam’s car, Bucky choosing to sit in the back again. Sam drove the three of you to a bar on the other side of D.C. 

“So, you’ve been pretty quiet,” you said to Bucky once you settled down at a table. “What’s up with you?” You nudged his shoulder. “Thinking about a girl back in New York?”

“Uh, I’m gonna go order us a few Long Island Iced Teas, yeah?” He got up and walked over to the bar to place orders. 

You looked at Bucky walk up to the bar, narrowing your eyes. You chewed on your lip and turned to Sam. “What’s wrong with Bucky?”

“It’s better if he tells you himself. Hey, here he comes!”

Bucky set three glasses down. “Hey. What were you talkin’ about?”

You turned to face Bucky. “Something’s going on with you. I wanna know what-”

Before you could finish your sentence, one of the windows of the bar blew in and HYDRA agents jumped in. You ducked your head down as glass rained in, a shard grazing your cheek despite the hands over your head.

“Well, fuck,” you whispered, brushing the blood from your face. “Sam, any chance you have the shield on you?”

“Nope.”

You sighed and cracked your knuckles. “Alright then. Hey assholes!” you yelled. “Looking to me out? Come on, then! Show me what they’ve been teachin’ ya! Show me how HYDRA’s been faring without their  _ special  _ soldiers!”

“(Y/N), what are you-”

You jumped up and pulled knives from hidden holsters, immediately jumping into the fight. You yelled to the other patrons and the employees to get out. It was 6 on 1, but you seemed unfazed by this fact.

“What the hell is she doing?” Sam muttered. “Come on, let’s help her out.” Sam said, beginning to push up from the table. 

Before he could get all the way up, though, you were done. HYDRA agents were either unconscious or dead. You slid back into your seat gracefully and took a sip of your drink. Sam and Bucky were gaping at you.

“What?”

“I’m in love with you,” Bucky blurted out.

Sam choked on his drink and you dropped your glass. 

“What?”

“Uh, I’m gonna go call Fury and let him know what happened,” Sam said, pushing up from the table and walking towards the payphone.

“I’m in love with you, (Y/N). I have been for a while. I’ve just been too scared to tell you.” He took a deep breath. “And if you don’t feel the same way, I-”

“Bucky, shut up,” you said. You gripped his hand. “I’m in love with you, too.”

Bucky smiled, squeezing your hand. “So, I take it this means if I ask you on a date, you’ll say yes?”

You gave a small laugh. “Of course I would, silly.”

Bucky smiled impossibly wider and pulled you close to him. He cupped your face in his hands and gently kissed you. When he pulled away, you grabbed the front of his shirt and pulled him to you, kissing him harder. Bucky slid his arms around your waist and kissed you back.

“Aw, come on, guys,” Sam groaned. “I don’t want to see that.”

You pulled away from Bucky and rested your forehead against his. “I guess I need to talk to Fury about moving back to New York now, huh?”

* * *

 

“Glad Barnes came to his senses at last,” Fury said when you and Bucky came to him about transferring. You sat across from Fury, holding Bucky’s hand. “And I have a position already prepared for you in New York.”

“Wow. Really? Thanks, Nick, I-”

“Don’t thank me,” Fury cut you off. “It was increasingly annoying watching the two of you walk in circles around each other. Now, (Y/N), do you need an apartment in New York, or…?”

You looked at Bucky. “Well, we haven’t really talked about it, but-”

“She’ll live with me,” Bucky said, smiling at you and squeezing your hand.

Fury gave one of his rare smiles, leaning back in his chair. “Well, then, it’s settled. (Y/N), you’re going to be our head of operations in New York.”

“What about Maria, Nick?” you asked. “That’s her job.”

“Maria is retiring,” Fury sighed. “I can’t say I’m not disappointed about her decision. But I respect it. And it opens up this opportunity for you.”

“You planned this all out before, didn’t you?”

“I may have.”

You scoffed. “Of course you did. How much of it?”

“How much do you think?”

“All the extra jobs? The after-work assignments? All the galas and benefits you said I had to go to. It was all to keep me busy after work, keep me from dating.”

“You’re intuitive,” Fury said. “But you forgot Bean.”

“Even my cat was part of your ploy?!”

“How soon do you want to transfer?” He asked, shifting the topic again.

You looked at Bucky, then back at Fury. “As soon as possible?”

“I’ll get right on it. Now, get out of my office.”


	7. Epilogue

“Steven Howard Barnes, stop jumping on the couch before you break your arm again!” you yelled at your son. “Timothy, go grab your sister for breakfast.” You sighed, watching your twin boys. You swore they were truly the reincarnations of their namesakes, especially Steve.

You turned to Bucky. “Remember, the cat needs fed at 10 or he gets irritable. Last time I didn’t feed Bean on time he shredded a whole box of tissues. Shuri and Pepper are supposed to be stopping by around 11 to make some upgrades to your arm, as well as bring me a new one since this one is starting to wear out and stick. Steve and Timothy have soccer at 2, and we’re in charge of after-practice snacks this week. I have apple slices and carrot sticks and water bottles in the fridge, they go in the cooler with the bags of ice to keep them cool. Natalia has ballet at 4:30, and they’re in dress-rehearsal season, so you need to pull her hair into a really tight bun on the top of her head. And-”

“(Y/N), calm down,” Bucky laughed, putting a pancake on a plate and setting it in front of Stevie. “I got it. It’s like I’m their father or something.”

You smiled. “You sure you got this? I’ve never had to work on a Saturday before, but we can’t lose this lead. We’re hoping to bring a new Avenger to the team.”

“Should you really be going?” Bucky asked you. “I mean, you’re eight months along. Stress isn’t good.” Bucky placed his hands gently on your stomach.

“I’ll be fine,” you assured him. “I’ve done the whole pregnancy and field-work thing twice before, I know what I can handle.” You kissed his cheek and started making sure you had everything. “Keys, wallet, what am I missing?” you muttered.

“Mommy!” your three-year-old girl said, running up to you. “I can’t find my tu-tu.”

You sighed. “A mother never rests. Sit and eat your breakfast while Mommy looks for it, okay? Buck, can you make sure the twins have their soccer uniforms? They almost lost them last time.”

“On it,” Bucky said.

The two of you split up to conquer your children’s problems. You found the tutu buried under a pile of stuffed animals and Bucky found the identical uniforms stuffed under the bunk beds of your twin sons.

“Okay, is everything good now? Nick’s sent me at least four angry texts about me not being early.”

Bucky smiled. “I got this. Any other catastrophes I can handle.”

“Okay. And if Sam gets a mission alert he needs you on, call Jonathan. He said he’d be on standby all day if you need him for anything. And Peter offered to take the twins to the park if they start getting too rowdy while Natalia’s napping. I know tonight was guys night with Sam and Scott, and I should be back in time for it but-”

“Hey, it’s okay,” Bucky assured you. “Family’s the most important thing to me. These kids are my life.”

“You’re perfect, Buck. What did I do to deserve you?”

Bucky kissed your forehead. “You were you.”

You smiled at your wonderful husband. “I love you.” You grabbed your bag off the counter, holding your keys on the other hand.

“Uh, (Y/N), love?”

“What?”

“That’s the activity bag for Nat.”

You sighed. “Thank you. Where’s my actual bag? There it is. Okay, I think I’m ready now.”

“Okay, get out,” Bucky laughed, pushing you towards the door. “Get out. Go to work. And remember-”

“I know, I know. Call you if anything goes wrong with the baby or me.”

“I love you,” Bucky said, kissing your cheek. “Now, go. Before Fury texts me. Or worse, calls.”

“Okay. Oh, before I forget again, I have chicken thawing in the fridge for dinner, make whatever you want with it. I should be home in time, but don’t wait for me, okay?”

“Got it. Now get out before I kick you out.” Bucky kissed your forehead and shoved you towards the door again.

You smiled and slipped out of the house before your kids could distract you anymore.

 

* * *

 

“Nice of you to show up, (L/N)-Barnes,” Fury said to you.

“Sorry. Kids are distracting.” You started loading your weapons and attaching them to the holsters. “And you can drop formalities, Nick. it’s just us.”

“Why don’t you do that before you get here?” Fury groaned. “You’re wasting time.”

“Listen, I have a three year old and two six year olds, one of whom wants to go into the military like his dad was.” You strapped a knife to your flesh forearm. “I can’t keep loaded guns and knives lying around. It’s not safe.”

“That’s why I only have a cat,” Fury said. “Let’s go. We’re on a time limit.”


End file.
